New Delhi, Jan. 29 -- The Doomsday Clock, which symbolizes the proximity of humanity to global catastrophe, has been moved to 89 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been in its 78-year history. The time change, announced on January 2025, reflects the escalating risks posed by nuclear weapons, climate change, artificial intelligence, infectious diseases, and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists' Science and Security Board (SASB) cited several existential threats as reasons for moving the Doomsday Clock closer to midnight. These threats include the persistent danger of nuclear conflict, worsening climate change, the misuse of biological science, and disruptive technologies like ar...